Flu pandemic could have 'serious consequences'

A flu pandemic could claim up to 750,000 lives and have the most serious impact of all risks currently faced by the UK, according to a document commissioned by the prime minister.

The new National Risk Register was announced earlier this year in the National Security Strategy and sets out the government's assessment of both the likelihood and potential impact of different risks to the UK.

The register is designed to increase awareness of the risks faced by the nation and to encourage both businesses and individuals to think about how prepared they are.

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According to the report, experts believe there is a 'high probability' of an influenza pandemic, although they are unsure of the timing or nature of its impact.

However, they predict that millions of people around the world, and up to half of the UK population, could become infected.

They also estimate that between 50,000 and 750,000 people in the UK may die during a flu pandemic.

BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said that pandemic flu clearly emerges as the gravest threat to national security in the report.

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